Men’s Lacrosse: Robert Morris-North Carolina In-Game Blog

Beautiful day here in Chapel Hill, sunny and pushing 60 degrees. I'm looking forward to a great game, one that should be a really tough test for both teams to open up the 2011 season. Last year's match saw the Tar Heels win a shootout 17-14. Both teams return a lot of firepower from last season, so the question for today may be which defense can step up, get stops and dictate some of the tempo.

Two things for each team that I'm looking forward to seeing:

For Carolina, who will step in the midfield to replace the production of Sean Delaney, Cryder DiPietro and Chris Layne (who transferred to Loyola)? Going along those lines, Coach Breschi brought in the nation's top recruiting class and it'll be interesting to see how many of these freshmen make an impact right out of the gates. Breschi has stated that he could see as many as 11 step into roles right away.

For Robert Morris, will they be able to build off of last year's 10-5 season? They bring back nearly all of their offense, one that has a ton of firepower, can they take the next step and become a mainstay in the Top 20 this spring? Certainly an upset of the #3 team in the country would go along way. Another big question will be in the goal for the Colonials. They return Charles Ruppert and Dillon Pope who split time last year, but neither keeper was above a 52% save percentage. In last year's meeting Robert Morris only had 4 saves, hopefully they'll get some better play today if they want to hang with Carolina.

Game time is delayed, the women's game went into Double Overtime with the Tar Heels edging out Florida 10-9. First face-off will be at about 2:58.

14:07 1st quarter

UNC Goal by Nicky Galasso unassisted. A strong isolation move from the top and low lefty goal for the freshman. Strong way to start your college career

12:59 1st quarter

RMU gets a stop and brings it down for a quick goal by Patrick Smith, assisted by Kyle Buchanan. Smith scores on a tight angle, catching Madalon off his near post.

12:00 1st quarter

Bitter gives the lead back to the Heels with an unassisted goal. He was able to get his man caught up on the crease, drove up to his right and finished with ease. UNC up 2-1

Carolina running two more freshmen on the second midfield line in Will Campbell and Pat Foster. Apparently the question of how these freshmen will impact the game early has been answered. Madalon with the first save of the game for either team and Carolina keeping position.

8:03 1st quarter

Galasso again on a nice cut, feed to Thomas Wood. Carolina is rewarded for after breaking the Colonials clear. 3-1

RMU wins the ensuing F/O and gets a good shot from Buchanan but Madalon is equal to it. Carolina with possession again.

5:05 1st quarter

Marcus Holman beats his man off the endline, no slide and the Tar Heels are up 4-1. Carolina is 3-1 on F/O's and controlling the time of possession. Time out Colonials

4:04 1st quarter

Casey Abbot stops the bleeding for Robert Morris as the Junior Midfield scores a nice left-handed shot off a quick split up top. 4-2 Carolina.

RMU now was won back to back draws and a mistake by Madalon gives a second possession to the Colonials. Matisz uses his size (6-5) to bull in, makes a great look to Moore but is denied by Madalon. The senior seems to be seeing the ball well so far. Carolina clears and works for the last shot.

2 man game behind with Bitter and Galasso, Bitter drives hard up the left side, finds Holman who is run over by Meagher. Carolina ends the first quarter with a 30 second man up.

End of 1st quarter 4-2 Carolina

14:39 2nd quarter

Galasso gets the hat trick. Picture perfect man up, switching sets to a 3-3, Wood skips it up to Galasso for the lefty crank from the point. So much for freshman nerves today.

RMU wins the ensuing F/O, get a shot, Madalon again with the save, Carolina clears.

Marcus McNeill and Ruan Creighton get some burn at the midfield as more freshmen see some time.

11:45 2nd quarter

Robert Morris get a turnover and after getting settled runs a great flip play with Matisz. Madalon, the Tar Heel defense and most of the stands falls for the fake and Matisz scores on a basically open net.

10:46 2nd quarter

Matisz again as the Colonials are rolling. The big righty clears it and finishes it himself bulling his way underneath his defender and finishing 5 hole on Madalon. 5-4 UNC

Carolina with another stop off of a missed pass. Galasso is now on attack with Bitter and Wood. Another turnover for the Heels and Robert Morris looks to tie it up. Moore finds Matisz for a 12 yard shot but Madalon makes the low save, Carolina clears. Holman is running with the first midfield now.

6:36 2nd quarter

Bitter nets his second off of an assist from Galasso. Heads up play by the freshman as he picked up a shot by Hutchins that went wide and as the Colonials defense relaxed thinking the shot went out of bounds, he finds Bitter on the crease for the quick stick goal

6:08 2nd quarter

Tyler Caparosa takes the RMU clear coast to coast for a nice finish and we're back to one goal game. We're starting to go end to end here and the Colonials have settled down some.

4:56 2nd quarter

After a Ruppert save, RMU scores and again Caparosa makes a play, driving the left wing and finding Patrick Smith up top for a 12 yard rip off stick high, and we're tied at 6

3:48 2nd quarter

Thomas Wood puts the Tar Heels up again, Bitter gets a tough ground ball, strings it across to McNeill who makes the extra pass to Wood for the easy goal.

3:41 2nd quarter

Freshman R.G. Keenan has been great of face-offs all day and sets up a quick goal. The rookie pushed it forward to start the break, Wood to Holman for the fast break goal and UNC is back up 8-6.

Holman drew an unnessary roughness penalty and Carolina had a great look but Dunster couldn't convert on the doorstep. Down to about a minute to play in the first half. Wood trips a Colonial defenseman on the ride, RMU man-up with 1:04 to play

0:00 2nd quarter

Carolina kills the penalty, nearly gets a goal with 3 seconds left on the clear. Shot is backed up by Bitter, and RMU completely falls asleep, Bitter to Holman for the quick stick goal right as the horn sounds. Big momentum play for the Heels.

Halftime score Carolina 9 Robert Morris 6. Stats to come if I get get them from the press box.

Halftime stats

Goals: UNC 9; RMU 6

Shots: UNC 22; RMU 18

GB's: UNC 16; RMU 12

Face-offs: UNC 8/14; RMU 6/14

Saves: UNC 9; RMU 4

Extra man: UNC 1/2; RMU 0/1

Clears: UNC 8/9; RMU 7/8

Start of the 3rd quarter

RMU wins the face-off and to answer the comments, I don't know the situation with Tao-Brambleby, but he is starting the 2nd half. Tyler Digby also starting the 2nd half for the Colonials. Another big body for RMU, don't think I saw him out there in the first. Turnovers on both ends, and RMU will get their second man -up with Marcus Holman taking a slashing penalty.

12:03 3rd quarter

RMU goal by Patrick Smith assisted by Kevin Brownell. Good rotation on the man up, RMU works the wheel and Smith has an easy 12 yard shot from dead center. 9-7 Carolina.

Keenan with another face-off, Ruppert makes two nice saves on Bitter, Carolina man up now after a slash on Lindsley. Ruppert with another save, looks like he's starting to settle in, but gets a 4 second call and it's Carolina ball again.

Time out Robert Morris with 8:57 in the 3rd, their first time out. Doesn't look like that late goal did anything to the morale of the Colonials. They are resilient and have shown no signs of backing down today.

(Sorry for the interruption here, had some site and connection problems, but here's the rest of the updates)

RMU comes out of the time out in zone, Wood gets two great looks in tight but can’t convert.

7:26 3rd quarter

Bitter from Wood, they get the rotation from the zone and Bitter finishes on the crease and draws an unnecessary roughness penalty.

RMU kills the penalty highlighted by a nice high save by Ruppert on a Galasso rip. RMU controlling possession and draws two flags. Smith is down for a minute, not sure if he took a slash across the knee or somewhere worse, but he’s up and able to walk off on his own power. RMU tries to feed inside but loses possession and Carolina clears and kills both penalties.

RMU gets another turnover, Meagher makes a great catch at midfield and nearly misses scoring. RMU getting good touches.

2:06 3rd quarter

Moore from Buchanan. Moore scores from almost behind GLE, must have gone off of Madalon’s ankle.

RMU controls the ball for the rest of the quarter but can’t get a shot off before the buzzer.

10-8 Carolina end of 3rd

14:07 4th quarter

McNeill unassisted. The freshman shows off his athleticism and backs his defender and lets one loose from about 10. Looks like it deflects off of Ruppert’s stick, he probably wants that one back. Back to a 3 goal cushion for the Heels.

RMU wins the face-off and calls a possession time out. Interesting call by Coach Davis, but they’re now left out for the final 13:50. We’ll see if that comes back to haunt them.

Carolina holds and is able to clear. Holman and Galasso have switched again, we’ll see how Carolina exploits the match-up of Holman on a short stick.

10:23 4th quarter

Dunster gets on the board with a nice isolation dodge from up top to his left and finishing far post. Nice goal and it’s now 12-8 Carolina.

Keenan with another illegal procedure, most of his losses have come that way.

10:14 4th quarter

Moore unassisted as the Canadian backs in a finishes around Madalon, nice finish, surprised they haven’t tried to get the Preseason AA in space like that more often today.

Keenan redeems himself and wins the draw, Carolina on O, taking the air out of it a bit, becoming much more deliberate. Good match-up with Bitter behind against a short stick, but he’s in no rush to attack, stalling warning up.

Time-out Carolina, their first at 7:48 in the fourth. Good decision by Coach Breschi as they were close to losing possession. You can tell that Carolina is content with a three goal lead to milk some clock. RMU has shown that they can go on a run and the Heels are being very smart and keeping the Colonials on defense.

Right out of the timeout, RMU gets a turnover as freshman Sean Meagher is able to strip Holman and RMU gets the clear.

Matisz who has been quiet this half draws a slash from Staines and the Colonials are on the man up with 6:32 to go.

Smith again with a big shot from up top but Madalon takes it off the facemask.

5:42 4th quarter

Moore unassisted. Scramble off the Madalon save leads to Moore picking the ball out of the air and finishing on the crease for the man up goal. RMU back to within 2.

Keenan wins the face-off and after Holman is stripped again, Carolina wins it back on the ride only to not back up the shot and give it right back to Robert Morris.

4:05 4th quarter

Brownell scores on the clear from Matisz, another transition goal and we’re back to within one.

Big face-off win by Keenan, Carolina possesses with under 4 to go. McNeill is pressured and turns it over, nice check by Ben Lewis. The Colonials defense has really stepped it up and picked up the aggressiveness and it’s paying off

2:45 4th quarter

Galasso from Flanagan. After the RMU clear, Flanagan makes a great pick in midair, and takes it down the field himself finding Galasso on a nice back cut on the break for the freshman’s 4th. Big goal as it goes back a 2 goal lead.

Procedure on RMU and the ball goes to Carolina, they clear and looking to hold as we go under 2 minutes. Ruppert now out as the Colonials look to double the ball, Carolina gets it down to 1:26 before they’re forced to burn their final time-out as Bitter was in a bad spot on the endline.

1:08 4th quarter

McNeill unassisted. The freshman starts with the ball off the time-out, outruns and muscles a double team up the field, he continues to circle the box and after slipping under a slide, he walks in and finishes on an open net. Matisz commits a slash on the play, so Carolina will go man up.

Keenan jumps the face-off, but Carolina holds and clears and is able to run out the clock. Good win 14-11 Carolina.

Post game thoughts

Overall a great game. I was really impressed with both sides. The freshmen stepped up big for Carolina, Nicky Galasso is definitely the real deal, great lefty shot, can play attack and midfield and is a match up problem with his size and strength. Marcus McNeill also played great today, he played a lot of short stick defense too, but the play at the end to muscle around a double team and to still have the endurance and smarts to take it all the way around the box and finally finish the seal the game was a great play. Strong performance from RG Keenan too at the face-off X and several other freshmen contributed today too. Carolina looks really good, the freshmen are stepping up in the midfield, and with the attack of Bitter, Wood and Holman; this offense is going to give a lot of teams problems this spring. The Heels defense also played well, they are an experienced bunch and handled a very high powered offense today.

A tough way to start for the Colonials but I would be encouraged by this start. Robert Morris showed that they can play the best of the best today, and I was really impressed with how they handled each of Carolina's runs and came back strong with one of their own. They looked to be put on the ropes early in the first quarter and then again with what could have been a backbreaking type of goal at the end of the first half, but each time they came back and put the pressure on Carolina. They have a great mix of Canadian and American players on offense, and they will be hard to handle no matter who they play. I think their defense really showed that they can make plays and cause turnovers as they did today late and after a rough first half, Ruppert started to see the ball much better and made some big stops in the second half to keep Carolina close. If he can build on today's performance, this will be a team to be reckoned with.